


My cousin Reiner

by Flower___Lady



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Canon Compliant, Cute, Family Feels, I really don't know which tags use, Little mentions of ReiBert and Pokkopikku, One Shot, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 19:21:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29140698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flower___Lady/pseuds/Flower___Lady
Summary: Gabi, as a Warriors' training test, has to write a 1000-words composition about the person she looks up to the most. And she has no doubt about who this person is: her cousin Reiner, just returned as a hero from the mission on Paradis island.(That means: Reiner described through 8-years-old Gabi's eyes)
Relationships: Gabi Braun & Reiner Braun
Comments: 19
Kudos: 52





	My cousin Reiner

**Author's Note:**

> Reiner has gradually become my favorite character. Okay, maybe because all my other favorite characters are _dead_ … But I think also because his development is _amazing_. And I **love** his relationship with Gabi: thought they are very different, Gabi and Reiner clearly adore each other. What I like the most is the fact that, while Reiner sees himself as totally _useless_ , Gabi loves him nevertheless, and regards him as a hero.
> 
> So I have decided to write this fic, describing Reiner (just returned from Paradis) through Gabi’s eyes. I have tried to render an eight-years-old kid’s way to write an assignment… Taking actual inspiration from my own cousin’s composition about me 😆
> 
> I know that many people don't like Gabi, especially after the airing of episode 8 (yeah, it has been _heavy_ for me too, because Sasha was one of above-mentioned favorite characters who are now dead)… Maybe this fic will remind everyone that Gabi is just a kid, whose one and only "fault" is to be born an Eldian in Marley!
> 
> I hope you guys will like this one shot 😊

Liberio, the 12th of May 850

_Warrior candidate: Gabi Braun_

**Assignment: write a 1000-words composition describing the person you look up to the most.**

"MY COUSIN REINER"

The person I look up to the most is my cousin Reiner (Braun).

I know you people know him, because he is the Armoured Titan, and he has just been nominated Warchief Zeke’s second-in-command – so maybe ~~is’t~~ it is not the best idea to write this assignment about someone who’s so _famous_ … But I have to write 1000 words nevertheless, and there’s no-one more perfect than my cousin to be described here.

Though me and Reiner are not very similar, we are relatives: as I have already said, he is my cousin, that means he’s the (only) son of my aunt Karina, ~~whose~~ who’s Dad’s sister. Reiner looks a little like Aunt Karina: they have the same nose and blond hair. But Reiner now is growing a beard, that Aunt Karina does not have. While, I don't know if Reiner looks like his dad, because I have never met my Uncle – Aunt Karina doesn't like him to be mentioned.

Anyway, Reiner is tall and strong, and when he transforms into the Armoured Titan he gets even taller and stronger, and covered with armour-like plates. He is so COOL!!!

Cousin Reiner is also _super_ handsome, and in fact many girls make goo-goo eyes when he passes in front them (but if one of these ladies were to hit on him, she'd have to deal with _me_ first). Miss Pieck too thinks that he is handsome, but she made me swear not to tell anyone, especially not to Galliard… I think that Galliard is Miss Pieck’s boyfriend, but he gets very nervous when I question him about it.

However, let’s go back to Reiner.

Reiner is ~~17~~ seventeen years old, but he often describes himself as, actual quote: “a middle-aged man”. He says it as if it is a joke, but I think he actually _really_ means it. But I don’t know if he says that because he has only six years left before passing down the Armoured Titan (TO ME!), or because the time he has spent on the Devils’ island has really worn him out.

Because my cousin Reiner is the only Warrior who had come back from the mission on Paradis. Actually, when he returned, he was almost dead. I have not seen him in person back then because Dad thought that it would have been too traumatic for me, but once I heard Warchief Zeke saying that the Reiner who has returned to Marley was, actual quote: “literally half the man he used to be”, so I guess that he was really _messed up_.

But now he’s back as good as usual, and that proves that he is very strong.

Reiner says he’s not, though.

I mean, he has not said it to _me_ , because he never talks to me (or to Mom, Dad, and Aunt Karina) about his time on the Devils’ island, but once I heard him crying and calling himself a weak coward. (Note: I WAS **NOT** SPYING ON HIM! I JUST HAPPENED TO BE WITH MY EAR PRESSED TO HIS DOOR!)

Warchief Zeke says that Reiner feels guilty because he is the only Warrior who had returned from the mission on Paradis. Galliard says that Reiner is, actual quote: “a FUCKING crybaby” (I think that this is an exaggeration, due to the fact that Galliard has always been at odds with Reiner – or at least this is what Colt Grice told me). Miss Pieck says that Reiner is sad because on Paradis he has lost ~~Bertr~~ ~~Betr~~ ~~Beltro~~ Bertolt Hoover.

According to Aunt Karina, Bertl Hoover was Reiner’s best friend. I know that also Mister Hoover is very sad because he has lost his son, but Reiner looks sad in a different way. Falco told me he would feel the same if he ever lost _me_ , but I don't understand what that means. Anyway, since I am the BEST candidate, I told Falco to not worry about me and think only about ~~his own ass~~ himself.

However, I’m digressing.

I don’t have many memories of Reiner before he left for Paradis. Mom says that when I was born and he first saw me, he almost cried (well, maybe he’s really a “fucking crybaby”, after all). She says that even when he returned home exhausted and beaten up after candidates’ drills, he had always time to play with me, or tell me a bedtime story, or just hold my hand for a little while I was sleeping.

Apparently, I too was very fond of him, because Dad says that, when I started talking, I always told everyone that, actual quote: “Cousin Reiner is my favorite person”. That's why I cried all my tears when he left for Paradis. I mean, I knew it was an honor for him, Aunt Karina continued to repeat it, but I was heartbroken because I would not have been able to see my favorite person like before. So maybe _I_ am the fucking crybaby, here…

But, anyway, now Reiner is _back_!

And we spend a _lot_ of time together. He often supervises our training, and he helps me studying for the tests (not that I need help, but I like hearing Reiner ~~expail~~ explaining stuff). At least twice a week, he takes me out for dinner – sometimes come also Udo, Falco, Zofia, Colt, and Miss Pieck. Reiner never eats much, he takes just a bite here and there, but he always pays for everyone (so my cousin’s also _hella_ rich).

On summer weekends, when we have a day off, he takes me to the seaside, or for a walk on the hills around Liberio. When it rains, we just stay at Aunt Karina’s playing chess, and I beat him EVERY SINGLE TIME. Reiner never gets annoyed at losing – he just says sighing that Bertl Hoover was the one good at chess, while he himself has actually always been terrible…

Other times, we just take a stroll around Liberio. Everybody knows him and greets him and calls him “Mister Braun” or “Vice-Warchief Braun” and tells him he’s our HERO. He always replies that he’s not, but I disagree and tell him not to be so modest.

Truth is, Reiner is a real HERO.

He’s a Warrior of Marley, he is the inheritor of one of the Nine Titans and so an honorary Marleyan, he has survived for years disguised among Paradis’ devils, and he probably can beat your asses up without even flinching… But he wouldn't do it without a proper cause, because he is also kind and caring and protective and overall good.

That’s why he is the person I look up to the most.

I feel so _proud_ to be his cousin, and I cannot wait to be in his place, when I will get the Armoured Titan. I want to become as strong and cherished and cool as him, ~~thref~~ ~~therefr~~ therefore I always train as hard as I can.

Meanwhile, I am happy to just walk around with him, holding his hand and thinking that yes, my cousin Reiner is still **my favorite person**.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know your opinion on this story, please: KUDOS AND COMMENTS ARE ALWAYS SINCERELY APPRECIATED!


End file.
